A proposed configuration of a vehicle includes an engine, a planetary gear mechanism constructed to have a carrier linked with an crankshaft of the engine and a ring gear linked with drive wheels, a first motor linked with a sun gear of the planetary gear mechanism, a second motor linked with the ring gear, and a battery arranged to transfer electric power to and from the first motor and the second motor (see, for example, Patent Document 1). According to the vehicle, in response to a starting demand of the engine when the vehicle is parked, a lock position is first set based on a rotational position of the rotor of the second motor, for example, is selected as one of six. The ring gear is locked by the flow of electric current through two, phases corresponding to the set lock position among three phases to form the fixed magnetic field on a stator of the second motor. After locking the ring gear, the engine is motored by means of the first motor and started. This arrangement prevents occurrence of a shock or a tremor when the engine is started.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-81324